#ChineseIdiom
Why 2016 Makes an Ancient Chinese Idiom Contradict Itself?
The Chinese idiom “猴年马月(hóunián mǎyuè)” literally means “monkey year, horse month” and is causing a lot of excitement on social media in China. Following the cycle of the 12 Chinese zodiacs, every 12 years is the year of the monkey. In accordance with this, each …
Chinese Idiom: 哪壶不开提哪壶 To Touch A Soft Spot
The idiom “哪壶不开提哪壶 (nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú)” literally means “to pick the kettle that is not boiling.” It’s used to indicate that someone is saying or doing something that shouldn’t be mentioned in front of others, or that someone is bringing up …
Chinese Idiom: 隔墙有耳 (géqiángyǒu’ěr) Walls Have Ears
Key Learning Point (Preview): 隔墙有耳 (géqiángyǒu’ěr): walls have ears
Cóngqián, yǒu yíge hàoqíxīn hěn zhòng de rén. 从前， 有 一个 好奇心 很 重 的 人。 Once upon a time, there was a curious man.
Tā zǒngshì xǐhuan sìchù dǎting biérén de mìmi. 他 总是 喜欢 …
Chinese Idiom: 毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) To recommend oneself
Key Learning Point (Preview):
毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) to volunteer for a task; to recommend oneself for a difficult job
Idiom Story:
Máo Suí zài Zhàoguó dāile sān nián, què yìzhí bú bèi zhòngyòng. 毛 遂 在 赵国 待了 三 年，却 一直 不 被 重用。 …
Idiom Stories: 一箭双雕 (Yíjiànshuāngdiāo) To Shoot Two Hawks with One Arrow
Nánbĕicháo shí, bĕizhōu yŏu ge jiào Zhăngsūn Shèng de wŭguān, 南北朝时，北周有个叫长孙晟的武官， shànyú shèjiàn, zhìmóu guò rén, 善于射箭，智谋过人， yīncĭ bèi cháotíng pàiqiăn hùsòng gōngzhŭ dào xībĕi tūjuézú qù chénghūn. 因此被朝廷派遣护送公主到西北突厥族去成婚。 Tūjuézú guówáng hĕn qìzhòng tā, bă tā liú xià lái, suí zìjĭ yìqĭ qù dăliè, 突厥族国王很器重他，把他留下来，随自己一起去打猎， …
Chinese idiom (Intermediate)
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Brief:
Learn two Chinese idioms: zhao san mu si (朝三暮四) and sai weng shi ma (塞翁失马).
课文：
Zhāo sān mù sì 朝 三 暮 四 Three in the morning, four in the afternoon. Sài wēng shī mă 塞 翁 失 马 the old …
龟兔赛跑 (guī tù sàipăo) The Race Competition between Rabbit and Tortoise
A rabbit and a tortoise decide to hold a race competition, and the winner will win the ticket to the Forest Concert. (Want to take part in a concert and listen to some beautiful songs.)
Wèi le yíng dé sēnlín yīnyuèhuì de ménpiào, xiăo
… Idiom Stories: 开天辟地(Kāitiānpìdì) To advance with giant strides
Chuánshuō yuángŭ shíhou, tiān hé dì shì hé zài yìqĭ de, jiù xiàng yí gè jīdàn shì de. 传说 远古 时候， 天 和 地 是 合 在 一起 的，就 像 一 个 鸡蛋 似 的。 Shìjiè de kāichuàng rén Pángŭ jiù shì zài zhège jīdàn …
Idiom Stories：画饼充饥（Huàbĭngchōngjī） To draw a cake to satisfy hunger
Sānguó shídài, wèiguó yŏu gè jiào Lú Yù de rén, 三国 时代，魏国 有 个 叫 卢 毓 的 人，
Hĕn xiăo de shíhou jiù shīqù le fùmŭ hé liăng gè gēge. 很 小 的 时候 就 失去 了 父母 和 两 个 哥哥。
Lú Yù …
Idiom Stories-调虎离山（Diàohŭlíshān） To lure the tiger out of the mountains
Dōnghàn mò nián, jūnfá bìng qĭ, gè bà yì fāng. 东汉 末 年，军阀 并 起，各 霸 一 方。
Sūn Cè nián jĭn shíqī suì, què niánshàoyŏuwéi, shìlì zhújiàn qiángdà. 孙 策 年 仅 十七 岁，却 年少有为， 势力 逐渐 强大。
Gōngyuán 199 nián, Sūn Cè yù …
Chinese Idioms (Beginner)
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Learn two Chinese idioms: yan er dao ling (掩耳盗铃), and yu gong yi shan (愚公移山).
课文 Text :： Yăn ĕr dào líng A: 掩 耳 盗 铃 Plugging the ears while stealing the bell Yú gōng yí shān B: 愚 公 移 山 …
Chinese Idiom: 鹤立鸡群 (hèlìjīqún) A Crane Standing Among Chickens
Jìncháo shí, yŏu yí gè rén jiào Jī Shào. Tā zhăng de yíbiăotángtáng, érqiĕ cáinéng chūzhòng, dānrèn Jìn Huìdì de shìcóngguān. Yí cì, yŏu rén qīnfàn jīngchéng. Jī Shào gēnsuí Huìdì qiánqù zhēngtăo pànluàn, búliào dă le bàizhàng, suíxíng de guānyuán、jiànglĭng yĭjí shìwèi sĭshāng wúshù, …
狐假虎威 (Hújiăhŭwēi) To Bully Others by Flaunting One’s Powerful Connections
Zài sēnlín lĭ, láohŭ shì zuì xiōngmĕng de yĕshòu. 在森林里，老虎是最凶猛的野兽。
The tiger is the most ferocious animal in the forest.
Yì tiān, tā zhuōdào yì zhī húli, jiăohuá de húli jiù shuō:”Nĭ zĕn me găn chī wŏ? Wŏ shì tiāndì rènmìng lái guánlĭ suóyŏu yĕshòu …
掩耳盗铃 (Yăn’ĕr dàolíng) To Cover One’s Ears When He Steals the Bell
(Get familiar with Chinese culture and you will get a deeper understanding of idioms.)
Listen to This Story And Practice Your Chinese Pronunciation.
Yŏu gè xiăotōu kànjiàn fànshì jiālĭ yŏu yì kŏu míngguì de dàzhōng, tā xiăng bă zhōng qiāo suì , ránhòu zài fēnbié …
打草惊蛇（Dăcăojīngshé）To stir the grass and startle the snake
The Story:
Long long ago, a county magistrate named Wang Lu worked in present Anhui Province, east China. Wang Lu was very greedy and took many bribes. One of his secretaries was equally corrupt, and often schemed for Wang Lu’s deeds.One day a man went …
悬梁刺股（Xuánliáng cìgŭ）To work hard
Sūn Jìng, shì hàncháo yŏumíng de zhèngzhìjiā, mĕitiān cóng zăo dào wăn dúshū. 孙敬，是汉朝有名的政治家，每天从早到晚读书。
Yŏushí huì píjuàn dé zhí dă kēshuì, tā biàn zhăo le yì gēn shéngzi, yì tóu băng zài fángliáng shàng, yì tóu 有时会疲倦得直打瞌睡，他便找了一根绳子，一头绑在房梁上，一 头
shù zài tóufa shàng, dāng …
Chinese Idiom: 刻舟求剑(kèzhōuqiújiàn) Mark the Boat for a Dropped Sword
Key Learning Point (Preview): 刻舟求剑 (kèzhōuqiújiàn) To Mark the Boat to Look for the Sword
Idiom Story:
Yǒu yígè Chǔguó rén chūmén yuǎnxíng. 有 一个 楚国 人 出门 远行。 There was a man from Chu who went out on a long journey.
Tā zài chéngchuán …
“婆婆妈妈(pópomāmā)”-A Must-Know Chinese Idiom
As a Mandarin newbie, the two simple Chinese words “婆婆(pópo)” and “妈妈(māma)” may be familiar to you. “婆婆(pópo)” means mother-in-law and “妈妈(māma)” means mother. However, when these two Chinese words are combined, they create the word “婆婆妈妈(pópomāmā).” Do Chinese people use it to refer to …